Your ultimate opera resource


Italy - Cities Along the Po River

When considering touring Italy, most visitorssophistication and great beauty. The ancient
probably want to see the major cities ofheart of the city contains a huge
Florence, Rome, Venice. Without a doubt,amphitheatre built by the Romans in the 1st
these are the highlights for a reason. Butcentury AD. This arena, one of the largest
smaller towns can provide a betteroutside of the Roman coliseum, is now
understanding of Italian history and offerrestored and used as an opera house during
their own fascination. These places were thethe summer season. It makes up one side of
backdrop for the struggle for power thatthe Piazza Bra, the gracious town square.
comprised much of the drama of ItalianThe tourist information office is also
history.Cremona, founded by the Romans in 218located there.Even if you don't come during
BC, is quite simply the violin capital of thethe opera season, there is the lure of
world. The streets are lined with the shopsromance at 23 Via Cappello, Juliet's House.
of makers of all manner of stringedThe story of Romeo and Juliet has some basis
instruments. You can see a demonstration ofin truth. The house and its balcony form a
violin-making and make a visit to thepopular attraction. Verona also has intimate
collezione di Palazzo Comunale where the townstreet markets lined with buildings still
collection is on display. These belovedshowing their early frescoes (Piazza delle
instruments - the oldest by Andrea AmatiErbe) and elegant shopping streets paved with
dates back to 1566 - are played regularly tomarble (Via Mazzini).Called the capital of
keep them in good physical condition.It'sthe Este family, who flourished around the
hard to miss the town's connection with13th to 15th centuries, Ferrara is famous for
Stradivarius, who is perhaps the most famousits wide streets and Renaissance palaces.
of the illustrious line of violin-makers ofOriginally a medieval town, by the end of the
Cremona. The Stradivarian Museum contains1400s the city was sufficiently prosperous
objects from his workshop, there's a statuethat Duke Ercole I commissioned an architect
to him on the Piazza Stradivari and there'sto create a new Renaissance city and join it
the Tomb of Stradivari in the Piazza Roma.to the older medieval section. The project
The International Violinmakers School is alsoincluded constructing new palaces, villas and
located in Cremona at the Palazzo Raimondi.parks with a clearly more modern and airy
If you aren't on a tour, your first stopfeel. Here again, try to arrange for a tour
should be the tourist information office inof the castles. It is the history, the
the Piazza del Comune, for a map andstories of the people who lived, loved and
information.Parma is the next stop and it isfought that brings meaning to these stone
indeed the home of the famed Parma ham andbuildings.Ferrara is best known for its
Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Although famousUniversity founded in 1222, among the oldest
for its food, Parma was once the capital of ain Europe and the Scrovegni Chapel with its
grand duchy ruled over by the Farnese family.frescoes produced by the artist Giotto.
It was, for a time, a possession of Austria.There are 36 frescoes depicting the lives of
It is also known for a scent producedMary and Jesus. Plant lovers will probably
locally, Violetta di Parma.The townwant to visit the Botanical Garden founded in
associated with the famous composer Giuseppe1545 containing rare plants and the old
Verdi is Roncole where he was born. It haslibrary and botany collection of the
since changed its name to Roncole-Verdi inUniversity.Without a doubt, Venice deserves
his honor. His home is the main attractionits reputation. It is a heart-breakingly
of the tiny village. His professional careerbeautiful city. Built on 117 separate
began when Antonio Barezzi, a wealthyislands, Venice has an extensive water bus
merchant, asked him to move to Busseto andsystem (as well as water taxis) rather than
become a music teacher for his daughter,ground transportation. It has narrow paths,
Margherita. Barezzi became not only Verdi'shouses whose front doors literally open onto
patron, but also his father-in-law when Verdithe water and no cars and around every corner
married Margherita in 1836. A monument tois a canal and a bridge and one magnificent
Verdi overlooks the town square, which isbuilding after another. But it is also a
also the site of the annual Verdi Festival.tourist magnet with all the problems that go
There is, of course, a museum to the famouswith that popularity.The cruise ships pull in
son and a tiny gem of a theatre built in hisand disgorge thousands of visitors who line
honor. It is said that Verdi never actuallyup to visit St. Mark's Basilica, buy gelato
set foot in the theater which opened in 1868.in the Piazza San Marco and stroll along the
Verdi was against building it, saying theGrand Canal. And for some reason you won't
theater was too expensive and would bebe able to understand, they like to feed the
useless in the future. But the town fatherspigeons and have their picture taken covered
went ahead regardless of his resistance. Hein birds. Venice is also a big city with the
was absent at its opening even though one ofhustle and bustle of commerce. Part of that
his most famous operas, Rigoletto, wascommerce is the lucrative tourist trade.
performed. The elegant theater has beenThere's no shortage of shops catering to
restored and reopened, but in a sense Verdivisitors selling Venetian masks, Murano glass
was right. It only holds 300 people.As youand more.Venice is divided into sestieres or
journey from one city to another, it soonboroughs. The most famous is San Marco which
becomes clear that the history of Italy iscontains the major sights. Visit the
intertwined with the story of the Gonzagas,Galleria dell'Academia with its collection of
one of the richest and most powerfulVenetian masters and the Peggy Guggenheim
families. Mantova was the seat of thatGallery with its more modern works. Stand
dynasty. The 500-room Ducal Palace (Palazzonear the Bridge of Sighs that links the
Ducale) took centuries to build. The PalazzoDoges' Palace to the old prisons.The pity of
Te, built by Federigo Gonzaga for hisVenice is that it is sinking into the lagoon.
mistress, stands outside of the walled partDuring rains the water can rise up and cover
of the city. Mantova has ancient stonethe piazzas, seep into hotel lobbies and
churches, many small shops, lovely squaresthreaten the viability of a beautiful marvel
and sidewalk cafes.If it isn't already,of engineering. And in the summer it is
Verona may become your favorite city. It hasoverrun with tourists. But see it anyway.
everything, tumultuous history, ruinsIt is worth it.
stretching back to the Roman era,



1 A B C D 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 77 78 79 80 81 82 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110